Hemming clip

ABSTRACT

A hemming clip having a pair of elongated clamping leaves with a scale along at least one leaf which starts at a point spaced inwardly from one end of the clip and is aligned with a stop to automatically align the starting indicia of the scale with the hem fold when the clip is fully advanced on the hem. The leaves are pivotally interconnected and have a spring between the leaf lever arms. The space between the scale indicia bearing portion of the leaves is unobstructed to receive the hem.

United States Patent McNeely [15] 3,656,213 [451 Apr. 18,1972

[54] HEMMING CLIP 1,893,281 l/l933 Goodman 1 32/46 A 2,592,362 4/1952 Weeks 2,608,729 9/1952 Meeker 3,135,034 6/1964 Fauteux ..24/137 A FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 639,751 7/1950 Great Britain ..24/81 D Primary Examiner-Donald A. Griffin Attorney-Wheeler, House & Wheeler [57] ABSTRACT 10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures [72] Inventor: Fay C. McNeely, Route 2, Spencer, Wis.

[22] Filed: Feb. 12, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 115,003

Related U.S. Appllcation Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 801,694, Feb. 24, 1969,

abandoned.

[52] US. Cl ..24/252 GC [51] Int. Cl. ....A44b 21/00 [58] Field of Search ..24/l37 A, 254, 49 P, 49 CC, 24/49 CF, 81 D, 49 C, 252 CP, 255 GP, 255 TU, 252 R, 252 PC, 252 CC, 252 DP, 259 CC; 132/46 A, 48 A [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,091,413 3/1914 Wilkins ..24/l37 A /4 w ll J ll 6% HEMMING CLIP This application is a continuation of my copending US. application Ser. No. 801,694, filed Feb. 24, 1969 and now abandoned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The hemming clip of the present invention improves over the prior art by affording a spring biased clamp leaf structure in which the clip can be opened and closed and advanced and retracted with respect to the hem, all with one hand. A bias spring is incorporated between the clip leaves but is offset longitudinally from the scale so as not to obstruct the space between those portions of the leaves which bear the scale. The spring advantageously constitutes a stop which is laterally aligned with the scale starting indicia so that the clip may be automatically advanced fully on the hem and the hem fold will be aligned with the starting indicia when the clip is fully advanced.

The clip is provided with fabric grips spaced along the length of the leaves, thus to securely hold the clip against slippage when applied to the hem.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear from the disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hemming clip embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross section taken through the clip of FIG. 1, showing it as applied to a hem.

FIG 3 is a cross section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating several clips in use.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structure. The scope of the invention is defined in the claims appended hereto.

The preferred embodiment of the hemming clip 9 is generally A-shaped and comprises two substantially identical symmetrical leaves 10, each of which desirably is supplied with hem measuring scale indicia or markings 8, usually in inches, starting with zero indicia or line 11 at a point spaced inwardly from the finger gripping end 12 of the clip. The indicia 8 is desirably duplicated on both leaves and increases in value from the zero line 11 toward the tip end 13 of the clip. In the illustrated embodiment the scale 8 measures 3 inches and fractions thereof.

Spring means such as the leaf spring 14 is disposed between the leaves 10 at the finger gripping end 12 of the clip. The spring 14 has its legs clamped to the clip by folded-over side margins or flanges 15 of both leaves 10. The bight 16 of the leaf spring 14 is aligned laterally with the zero mark 11 and spans between the leaves, thus to function automatically as a stop when the clip is applied to an unfinished but folded-over hem 17 of a skirt 18 or the like. The space between the scale bearing portions of the leaves 10 is left unobstructed, thus to receive the unfinished hem 17 Finger pressure on the lever arms 21 of the clip, as illustrated in FIG. 4, will open the clip and it may be advanced on the unfinished hem 17 until the fabric fold 22 contacts the spring bight 16, thus automatically stopping the clip in exact alignment of the scale starting or zero line 11 with the fold 22. Adjustment in the amount of fold-over can then be made and the amount of fold-over readily adjusted to the desired amount by observing the scale 8.

The clip is manipulated entirely with one hand, leaving the other hand free to manipulate the hem and adjust the amount of fold.

The leaves 10 are channel-shaped from the bight I6 of spring 14 to the tip end 13 of the clip and have edge margins which are folded over through to form side flanges 23 which are desirably provided with coacting laterally aligned grips 24 to firmly anchor the clip to the fabric of the hem and prevent slippage of the clip once it is clamped on the hem.

The bight 16 of the spring 14 also functions as a pivot forming means to define the fulcrum point about which the leaves swing under finger pressure on their lever arms 21.

The flanges 23 are deeper near the finger gripping end of the clip than near its tip end 13. The flanges 23 are stepped down to a narrow width at intervals toward the tip end 13, to form the gripping points 24. The bight 16 of the spring is wider in side elevation as shown in FIG. 2 than the combined width of the flanges 23, thus to leave ample space between the flanges to receive the hem l7.

Iclaim:

1. A generally A-shaped hemming clip comprising a pair of symmetrical elongated leaves, a scale on at least one leaf, said scale having a starting indicia mark spaced inwardly a short distance from one end of the clip and other indicia marks of increasingly higher value extending toward the other end of the clip, pivot forming means spaced inwardly from said one end, leaf portions between said one end and said pivot forming means comprising clip opening lever arms, a spring between said lever arms and disposed toward said one end from said starting indicia mark to leave the space between said leaves from said starting indicia toward the other end of the clip unobstructed to receive a hem therein, said leaves being channel-shaped between said spring and the other end of the clip and having folded-over side margins which form opposed complementary fabric gripper flanges, said spring having a portion laterally aligned with said starting indicia to function as a hem stop to automatically align the starting indicia with the hem fold when the clip is fully advanced on the hem.

2. The invention of claim 1 in which the spring comprises a leaf spring with a bight forming said stop.

3. The invention of claim I in which the flanges have steps.

4. The invention of claim 1 in which the spring constitutes said pivot forming means.

5. The invention of claim 1 in which the spring comprises a bowed leaf spring having an intermediate bight constituting said pivot fonning means.

6. The invention of claim 5 in which the lever arms have side margins folded over and clamped against the spring leaves to anchor the spring leaves on the clip.

7. A generally A-shaped hemming clip comprising a pair of symmetrical elongated leaves, pivot forming means spaced inwardly from one end of the clip, leaf portions between said one end and said pivot forming means comprising clip opening lever arms, a spring between said lever arms, said leaves being channel-shaped between said spring and the other end of the clip and having folded-over side margins which form opposed complementary fabric gripper flanges, a scale on at least one leaf, said scale being offset longitudinally from said lever arms and being disposed between said spring and the other end of the clip, the space between said leaves from said spring to said other end of the clip being unobstructed to receive a hem therein in registry with said scale, said scale being adapted to measure hem width along said scale.

8. The invention of claim 7 in which the flanges have complementary steps.

9. The invention of claim 1 in which the spring comprises a bowed leaf spring having an intermediate bight constituting said pivot forming means, said bight also constituting a hem stop when the clip is fully advanced on the hem.

10. The invention of claim 9 in which the lever arms have side margins folded over and clamped against the spring leaves to anchor the spring leaves on the clip.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION 5, 5 5 Dated April 18, 1972 Patent No.

Inventor(s) Fay C. McNeely It is certified that error appears in the above-identifiedl patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

- Attest:

Column 2, Line 65, change "1" to "7 Signed and sealed thisBth day of August 1972.

(SEAL) EDWARD M.FLETCHER ,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer uscoMM-Dc 60376-P69 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE I9, 0-35B-33l FORM PO-105O (10-69) 

1. A generally A-shaped hemming clip comprising a pair of symmetrical elongated leaves, a scale on at least one leaf, said scale having a starting indicia mark spaced inwardly a short distance from one end of the clip and other indicia marks of increasingly higher value extending toward the other end of the clip, pivot forming means spaced inwardly from said one end, leaf portions between said one end and said pivot forming means comprising clip opening lever arms, a spring between said lever arms and disposed toward said one end from said starting indicia mark to leave the space between said leaves from said starting indicia toward the other end of the clip unobstructed to receive a hem therein, said leaves being channel-shaped between said spring and the other end of the clip and having folded-over side margins which form opposed complementary fabric gripper flanges, said spring having a portion laterally aligned with said starting indicia to function as a hem stop to automatically align the starting indicia with the hem fold when the clip is fully advanced on the hem.
 2. The invention of claim 1 in which the spring comprises a leaf spring with a bight forming said stop.
 3. The invention of claim 1 in which the flanges have steps.
 4. The invention of claim 1 in which the spring constitutes said pivot forming means.
 5. The invention of claim 1 in which the spring comprises a bowed leaf spring having an intermediate bight constituting said pivot forming means.
 6. The invention of claim 5 in which the lever arms have side margins folded over and clamped against the spring leaves to anchor the spring leaves on the clip.
 7. A generally A-shaped hemming clip comprising a pair of symmetrical elongated leaves, pivot forming means spaced inwardly from one end of the clip, leaf portions between said one end and said pivot forming means comprising clip opening lever arms, a spring between said lever arms, said leaves being channel-shaped between said spring and the other end of the clip and having folded-over side margins which form opposed complementary fabric gripper flanges, a scale on at least one leaf, said scale being offset longitudinally from said lever arms and being disposed between said spring and the other end of the clip, the space between said Leaves from said spring to said other end of the clip being unobstructed to receive a hem therein in registry with said scale, said scale being adapted to measure hem width along said scale.
 8. The invention of claim 7 in which the flanges have complementary steps.
 9. The invention of claim 1 in which the spring comprises a bowed leaf spring having an intermediate bight constituting said pivot forming means, said bight also constituting a hem stop when the clip is fully advanced on the hem.
 10. The invention of claim 9 in which the lever arms have side margins folded over and clamped against the spring leaves to anchor the spring leaves on the clip. 